Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The minnows
are doing so well this World Cup … ! the FOW reads : 1-0; 2-23; 3-25; 4-25;
5-31; 6-31; 7-37; 8-41; 9-44 & 44 all out – who and where ? ~ do you know the Malayalee player in this
World cup ??

This is a World Cup
of advertisement, marketing hype coupled with technology. Zing bails have added
playful neon to the World Cup, but early in Ireland's chase, the UAE's players
were left to wonder whether they also had chewing gum attached. A full, swinging delivery from Amjad Javed slipped
through Ed Joyce's drive, and the bowler roared at the telltale sound of ball
disturbing off stump. But the momentary flash of the half-airborne bail was
followed by the extraordinary sight of it settled back in place, a wicket all
of a sudden evaporating. Joyce the luckiest man in Brisbane.

photo credit : cricinfo.com

Ireland eventually
completed a win – win by two wickets, with four balls remaining. This has
undoubtedly been the match of the tournament. Two matches into the World Cup and the UAE may
have its first batting superstar. Shaiman Anwar has carted the bowlers of
Zimbabwe and Ireland, showing a fearless array of strokes and an impish, and a WC century to boot. The big-hitting Kevin O'Brien set right the
mess along with Wilson helped by dropped catches, Ireland closed with 2 wickets
and 4 balls to spare. Now Pakistan has to wait with bated breath for
Zimbabwe Vs Ireland match to decide whether they can qualify for the QF ~ and
they have to beat those two teams and UAE, if not South Africa !!

The player
from Kerala is Krishna Chandran, who represents UAE. Born in Kollengode, Krishna Chandran, otherwise known as Krishna
Karate, has spawned something of a cult following already this tournament, his
distinctive name having many fans clamouring for UAE replica shirts bearing the
"Karate" name.

As per ICC, more
than a fifth of human population or approximately 1 billion people will watch
the biggest cricketing event: World Cup 2015. Overall, advertisers are expected
to spend between Rs 1200 and Rs 1500 crore on advertisements, which is
excluding stadium ads and merchandising rights sold by ICC. The Star Sports ad poking fun at Pakistan’s
World Cup record against India has become a rage in India. But across the
border in Pakistan, the advertisement did not go well as they retaliated with other
big matches including that Chetan Sharma – Miandad last ball six. The first ad showed a Pakistan fan desperately
waiting for a chance to burst a crate of firecrackers if and when Pakistan won
the India-Pakistan match, the second ad shows a bunch of teenagers sitting and
watching a match when two South African fans hand them a crate of firecrackers
and walk away singing "Mauka, Mauka".
Then the spoof of Pak fan wearing SA shirt and hearing the verdict of
the match hears the calling bell to receive UAE group presenting another
shirt. The ‘#MaukePeChauka!’ film ends with the
voiceover announcing, ‘Yeh World Cup nahin, yeh hai World vs India’. What a
hype !!!!

Test cricket could
be reduced to four days, and the next World Cup curtailed to 40 overs a side,
if wide-ranging discussions between the chairmen of the English counties and
the ECB become firm proposals, and are ultimately adopted by the ICC. Any
reduction in five-day cricket would mean the abandonment of a tradition that
has been at the heart of the international game for more than 30 years.

Back home, in Ranji
trophy, Vijay Shankar continued his good form to help Tamil Nadu to a steady
192 for 3 on the first day against Maharashtra in Kolkata. The team that was
bowled out for 44 is Mumbai – yes, read again Mumbai. Twenty-one
wickets fell on the opening day of the first semi-final, as hosts Karnataka
gained an upper hand against Mumbai at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Karnataka were all out for 202 then 6/20 spell
by Vinaykumar knocked Mumbai out. The
visitors then dismissed openers Robin Uthappa and KL Rahul for the second time
in the day, but were left facing an uphill task going into day two.